Tempura Platter

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A classic Japanese Tempura Platter features an assortment of seafood and seasonal vegetables cloaked in a feather-light, lacy batter and fried until shatteringly crisp. Served with a warm dashi-soy dipping sauce and fresh grated daikon, it is an elegant starter or main that showcases pure, clean flavors and beautiful texture contrast.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 480 kcalCalories
• 22 gFat
• 3 gSaturated Fat
• 45 gCarbs
• 5 gFiber
• 6 gSugar
• 18 gProtein
• 720 mgSodium
• 650 mgPotassium
• 80 mgCalcium
• 3 mgIron
• 18 mgVitamin C
• 280 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the batter and frying

• 1 cup (130 g) cake flour, plus 2 tablespoons for dusting
• 1 large egg, cold from the fridge
• 1 cup (240 ml) ice-cold sparkling water
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 4 cups (960 ml) neutral oil such as rice bran or canola, for frying

For the seafood

• 8 large (about 12 oz / 340 g) shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails intact
• 6 oz (170 g) cleaned squid bodies, patted dry and scored lightly

For the vegetables

• 1 small Japanese sweet potato, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
• 1/4 small kabocha squash, seeded and sliced into thin wedges
• 1 small Japanese eggplant, sliced lengthwise into 1/4-inch planks
• 1 small red bell pepper, cored and cut into 1-inch strips
• 8 green beans, trimmed
• 6 fresh shiso leaves (optional)
• 1 small carrot, sliced on a sharp diagonal

For the tentsuyu dipping sauce

• 1 cup (240 ml) dashi stock
• 3 tablespoons mirin
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt

For serving

• 1/2 cup grated daikon radish, gently squeezed
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges
• 2 tablespoons pickled ginger (optional)

Directions

1. Make the tentsuyu: In a small saucepan, combine dashi, mirin, soy sauce, sugar, and salt. Bring to a gentle simmer, stir to dissolve the sugar, then remove from heat and keep warm.
2. Prepare the vegetables and seafood: Pat all ingredients thoroughly dry with paper towels. Lightly dust the shrimp, squid, and denser vegetables (sweet potato, kabocha) with 2 tablespoons of cake flour so the batter clings evenly.
3. Heat the oil in a heavy pot or wok to 340-350°F (170-175°C), using a thermometer to maintain steady temperature. Line a rimmed tray with a wire rack and set nearby for draining.
4. Make the batter just before frying: In a medium bowl, whisk the cold egg and ice water lightly, then sift in 1 cup of cake flour and salt. Stir with chopsticks for about 10 seconds only; the batter should remain lumpy and ice-cold, never smooth.
5. Fry the vegetables first in small batches, working from longest-cooking to quickest: sweet potato and kabocha for 3-4 minutes, then eggplant, carrot, bell pepper, and green beans for 1-2 minutes until pale gold and crisp. Finish with shiso leaves, which need only 20-30 seconds. Drain on the rack and sprinkle lightly with fine salt.
6. Fry the seafood: Dip each shrimp or squid piece in batter, letting excess drip off, then lower into the oil tail-first (for shrimp). Fry shrimp for 2-3 minutes and squid for about 90 seconds, turning once, until the batter is pale ivory with delicate crisp tendrils.
7. Arrange the tempura on a large platter or individual plates over a sheet of paper to absorb oil, with shrimp and vegetables grouped separately. Serve immediately alongside small bowls of warm tentsuyu, grated daikon, grated ginger, and lemon wedges; guests dip each piece just before eating.

Cook’s Notes

• Always keep the batter cold; place the mixing bowl over a larger bowl of ice and use ice water for maximum crunch and a lacy texture.
• Maintain oil temperature carefully. Adding too many pieces at once will drop the temperature and yield greasy, heavy batter; fry in small batches and let the oil recover between rounds.
• Use cake flour rather than all-purpose flour for a more delicate, less chewy crust; the lower protein content is the key to true tempura lightness.
• Pat every ingredient completely dry before dipping; moisture causes the batter to splatter and slide off, ruining the crisp coating.
• Serve tempura the moment it leaves the oil. Even 3-4 minutes on a plate softens the crust, so have all condiments and the sauce ready before frying.

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